Gov pulls in KPMG to scope energy comparison site roadmap

The federal government’s energy comparison website, Energy Made Easy, is in line for an overhaul, with KPMG Australia brought in to scope the program of work.

The consultancy will be paid just under $400,000 over the next six months to create a “first pass ICT business case” for the Energy Made Easy website.

The site was launched by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) back in 2012 and offers advice for energy customers in five states and territories - South Australia, Queensland, NSW, the ACT and Tasmania.

It claims a million visits a year and to offer Australians a way “to compare energy plans and make informed energy choices”.

A “first pass” business case for its redevelopment or re-platforming - the extent of the AER’s ambition at this stage is unclear - would encompass “a sufficient level of information on the benefits, costs, risks and range of digital and ICT implementation options for a proposal to enable an informed in principle decision on the investment” by the government, according to documentation.

The AER selected KPMG to prepare the business case after having gone to tender in September last year for help to prepare a future roadmap for the website.

iTnews understands that the roadmap will serve as a guide to support continuous improvement and targeted enhancement options for the website in the coming years. 

The last major revamp of the site and its underpinning technology was completed in April 2020, according to a published case study.

The site exists in an increasingly crowded and competitive market for comparison services.